In this episode of the Artist Recovery Podcast, we sit down with watercolor artist, designer, speaker, and disability advocate Katherine Klimitas, whose life and art defy every expectation. Born with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease), Katherine had broken over 500 bones by the age of 10 — yet she transformed those challenges into a thriving creative career.
From selling her first pet portrait at just ten years old to becoming a professional watercolor illustrator who paints lying on her side, Katherine’s story is one of radical resilience, relentless curiosity, and uncompromising artistry.
About Katherine Klimitas.

Katherine is a New Orleans–based watercolor artist, graphic designer, author, and keynote speaker known for her breathtaking animal portraits and her advocacy for accessibility and inclusion. Painting while lying down due to her condition, she’s developed a unique and masterful process rooted in precision, patience, and extraordinary determination. Her message: limitations don’t define you — your choices do.

🔥 Viral Moments & Key Highlights
The unbelievable moment she reveals breaking 500 bones by age 10 — and how she kept creating art.

• How a cheap watercolor set at age 5 changed the entire trajectory of her life.
• Why she refused to let her disability define her creativity, identity, or future.

• The shocking accessibility barriers artists with disabilities still face — including being removed from a ticketed concert floor seat despite ADA protections.
• Katherine’s business truth: why “design pays the bills, but art feeds the soul.”

• The genius new kids’ product she’s launching: Paint Like Katherine watercolor kits.
• How she overcomes burnout by “throwing spaghetti at the wall” until something sticks.

• Her upcoming wildlife collaboration with a Louisiana photographer — announced here before anywhere else.

 Perfect for Viewers Who Love
• Inspirational artist stories• Disability advocacy and inclusion• Creative entrepreneurship• Watercolor & animal art• Conversations about resilience and mindset• Behind-the-scenes artist life

Connect with Katherine: 
https://kakartnola.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kakartnola
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherineklimitas
FB: https://www.facebook.com/kakartnola

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